Bathurst, David Benjamin (Oral history)

British cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1953-1955; midshipman served aboard HMS Bulwark in GB coastal waters and during Suez landings, 1955-1956; officer served aboard submarines HMS Sturdy and HMS Talent in GB coastal waters; served aboard HMS Woolston in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 1957-1959; trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1960-1962; served as pilot with 815 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm with ship's flight aboard HMS Devonshire in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean, US and West Indies, 1962-1963; served as instructor with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1964; served as instructor with 727 and 725 Sqdns, Royal Australian Navy in Australia, 1965-1967; served as pilot with 820 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters and Far East, 1967-1968; commanded 819 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Northern Ireland, 1969; served as staff officer with Department of Naval Recruiting at Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1970-1971; served as second in command of HMS Norfolk in GB coastal waters, 1972-1973; served as staff officer with Naval Staff at Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1973-1975; commanded HMS Ariadne in Mediterranean, 1975-1976; served as Naval Assistant to First Sea Lord in GB, 1976-1977; commanded 5th Frigate Sqdn in GB coastal waters, 1978-1980; served as staff officer with Royal College of Defence Studies in London, GB, 1981; served as Director of Naval Air Warfare in Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1982; served as Flag Officer with Second Flotilla in West Indies, 1983-1985; served as Director of Naval Manpower and Training with Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1985-1986; served as Chief of Fleet Support with Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1986-1989; served as Commander in Chief Fleet and Commander in Chief Eastern Atlantic in GB, 1989-1991; served as Vice Chief of Defence Staff in GB, 1991-1993; served as First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in GB, 1993-1995

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1936-1953: family; evacuation to Bristol area during Second World War; education. Aspects of period as cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1953-1955: reasons for joining Royal Navy; pattern of training at Dartmouth; opinion of period on training ship. Aspects of period as midshipman aboard HMS Bulwark in GB coastal waters, 1955-1956: joining carrier at Portsmouth; mass of shipping in North Sea; pattern of service; move to Mediterranean during Suez Crisis, summer 1956; opinion of organisation Suez Landings, 11/1956; question of belief in operation by senior officers; attending midshipman board in GB, 12/1956. Aspects of period as sub-lieutenant with Submarine Service in GB coastal waters, 1957: joining submarine HMS Sturdy; transfer to submarine HMS Talent. Aspects of period as sub-lieutenant at Royal Naval College, Greenwich, GB, 1957: reasons for being sent to college; advantages of proximity of London; opinion of instruction received. REEL 2 Continues: series of courses on leaving Greenwich. Aspects of period as sub-lieutenant aboard HMS Woolston in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 1957-1959: appointment to minesweeper, 10/1957; number of officers on board; arrival in Oran, 12/1957; patrolling off Cyprus; visit to Haifa, Israel; crew; marriage, 1959. Aspects of training as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1960-1962: pattern of training on fixed wing aircraft and transfer to helicopters; pattern of helicopter training on Westland Whirlwind; conversion to Westland Wessex Mk II. Aspects of period as pilot with 815 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm with ship's flight aboard HMS Devonshire in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean, US and West Indies, 1962-1963: working up with Westland Wessex Mk II aboard ship; ship's working up trials; problems with ship's gearbox in Mediterranean; cruise to US, 9/1963. REEL 3 Continues: trials in West Indies. Aspects of period as instructor with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1964: instruction duties with 737 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Portland; attending instructors' course at RAF Turnhill; appointment as instructor to 706 Sqdn at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose. Aspects of period as instructor with 727 and 725 Sqdns, Royal Australian Navy in Australia, 1965-1967: initial problems with accommodation on arrival; instructing on Westland Wessex Mk 31B; reasons for transfer from 727 Sqdn to 725 Sqdn to instruct on Bell Huey helicopter; flying in Australia; decision to return to GB, 1967. Aspects of period as pilot with 820 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters and Far East, 1967-1968: appointment to aircraft carrier; evacuation of civilian from St Kilda; squadron work up; problems on landing in Canary Islands, 8/1967; ashore in Cape Town, South Africa; plane guard duties. REEL 4 Continues: covering withdrawal from Aden; opinion of captain; return to GB, 6/1968; attending NATO exercises in North Sea, summer 1968; leaving ship, 11/1968. Aspects of period commanding 819 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Northern Ireland, 1969: conversion to Westland Wessex Mk III prior to appointment to command squadron, 1/1969; role of squadron; problems for squadron members with Irish roots at start of the Troubles. Aspects of period as staff officer with Department of Naval Recruiting at Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1970- 1971: appointment to role; nature of duties. Aspects of period as second in command of HMS Norfolk in GB coastal waters, 1972-1973: working up period; presence of Prince of Wales on board; opinion of Lord Louis Mountbatten. REEL 5 Continues: impressions of Prince of Wales; role as second in command; NATO exercises; opinion of skills of Captain John Fieldhouse. Aspects of period as staff officer with Naval Staff at Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1973-1975: negotiations with French partners over Westland Lynx; attitude to work. Aspects of period commanding HMS Ariadne in Mediterranean, 1975-1976: question of experience on joining frigate; knowledge gained of situation in Mediterranean and US Navy. Aspects of period as Naval Assistant to First Sea Lord in GB, 1976-1977: nature of role. REEL 6 Continues: comparison between First Sea Lords Edward Ashmore and Terence Lewin; relations between First Sea Lords and politicians. Aspects of period as commanding 5th Frigate Sqdn in GB coastal waters, 1978-1980: taking command of frigate; shadowing Russians; aspects of command. Aspects of period as staff officer with Royal College of Defence Studies in London, GB, 1981: importance of friendships made; exploration of international situation. Aspects of period as Director of Naval Air Warfare in Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1982: question of prior knowledge of situation in Falklands; decisions made on basis of operational experiences during Falklands War. REEL 7 Continues: question of lack of enthusiasm for placing RAF Harriers on Atlantic Conveyor; capitalising on success of Royal Navy after Falklands War; question of leaving navy. Aspects of period as Flag Officer with Second Flotilla in West Indies, 1983-1985: status of role of Commodore; situation in Caribbean at time of US invasion of Grenada, 1983; visit to Admiral commanding US 7th Fleet; role, duties and staff. Aspects of period as Director of Naval Manpower and Training with Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1985-1986: need to reduce manpower in Royal Navy in line with defence cuts; attitude to role. Aspects of period as Chief of Fleet Support with Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1986-1989: problems during privatising of naval dockyard programme. REEL 8 Continues: question of control of costs in naval dockyards; introduction of facilities for Trident missiles; role as accounting officer attending parliamentary committees; important role of National Audit Office; behaviour of politicians on parliamentary committees; opinion of First Sea Lord William Staverley. Aspects of period as Commander in Chief Fleet and Commander in Chief Eastern Atlantic in GB, 1989-1991: role and duties; monitoring Russian submarines; tailing off of Russian submarine activity after fall of Berlin Wall, 1989; role as of Commander in Chief Eastern Atlantic with NATO; relations with French Navy; escorting Margaret Thatcher around nuclear submarine. REEL 9 Continues: visit to US at time of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, 1990. Aspects of period as Vice Chief of Defence Staff in GB, 1991-1993: role and duties; prior recollections of naval contribution to Gulf War; attitude to becoming Commander in Chief Fleet; attitude to appointment as Vice Chief of Defence Staff; discussions relating to changes in NATO senior staff structure and Options for Change; opinion of Tom King and Alan Clark. Aspects of period as First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in GB, 1993- 1995: main tasks. REEL 10 Continues: question of Chief of Naval Staff losing power; question of using influence to stop proposal to close Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; role of First Sea Lord; question of purchase of Tomahawk missile; dealing with appointments and retiring captains and admirals; qualities needed for selection to First Sea Lord; question of contraction of Royal Navy; changes in how naval personnel view career; decisions made on crisis in former Yugoslavia; opinion of Malcolm Rifkind; nature of Exercise Frontline First; opinion of Jonathan Aitken. REEL 11 Continues: question of use of sailors guarding Royal Navy property; disposal of Royal Yacht Britannia; attitude towards resignation Chief of Defence Staff Sir Peter Harding; attitude to prospect of being Chief of Defence Staff; question of removal of senior ranks of armed services; question of women serving at sea; question of future role of Royal Navy.